The term “company culture” gets thrown around quite a bit these days. It drives many small businesses and start-ups to think about how they too can build a better office or company culture for various reasons: for reputation, for profitability…
While some might think negatively of this term as just another bit of “management jargon,” here at Wings Mobile Detailing Franchise we know that having a good company culture is actually an essential element of a successful business. In today’s blog, we’ll talk about why that is and how you can start creating your own positive culture in the office.
Why Create a Culture in Your Business?
Let’s first think about why we want to do this in the first place. There are three main reasons why it’s a good idea to build a positive company culture:
Because you want your company to grow and you want more people to know about you
Because you want to sell more of your product or service to more customers
Because you want your staff to better represent your company and brand
This might sound a little nebulous at first, but it’s not.
There is a direct link between having a healthy and positive culture in your company, and your business being more successful and sought-after by customers.
How to Create Your Company Culture
Your company culture is born from the nature of your customer service. In other words, the more you get your clients to genuinely like you and what you do, the stronger and more positive the company culture will be as it emerges around you. There are a few important things that you’ll need to do as the company leader:
Put Clients on a Pedestal
As we mentioned above, great customer service is at the heart of an ideal office culture. If you make it your business to put your clients on a pedestal, and maintain habits of talking positively about clients and their needs, then you will be well on your way to your goal.
I’ve had some experience with other companies in this area, where I have come to feel that I am thought of as a “problem client”. Even when visiting a luxury car dealership at which I am a long-standing customer, every time I took the vehicle in for maintenance, the indifferent attitudes of the service staff made me think: “OK, these guys hate me now. I bet they say negative things about me when I’m not around.”
Unfortunately, this phenomenon is all too common. Have you ever noticed your team members, even jokingly, talking negatively about difficult customers? Have you ever joined in on these conversations yourself? Tricky and demanding customers do exist, but we have to remain positive if we want that great company culture, otherwise we’re just adding fuel to the fire. Two key action steps you need to take as a leader here are:
1. Discourage or even forbid employees and other team members talking negatively about clients, even those who are genuinely demanding or difficult to deal with
2. Train staff in how to firmly but politely deal with tricky customers and situations, and encourage them to focus instead on their positive experiences.
Always remember the old adage: “Customer is king.” It doesn’t mean we should allow ourselves to be exploited, but it means that we should strive to deliver the best-possible experience for customers. In doing so, that positive energy reaches our clients and they will keep coming back.
Lead By Example
Some entrepreneurs dream of running a company in which their employees turn up early for work with a smile, and are always willing to go the extra mile when things are getting tough. If you want these things from your team, then you have to first demonstrate them yourself. If you breeze into the office at 11:00 every morning, or take long lunches, or spend your time seemingly doing nothing yourself, then how can you expect everyone else to gladly shoulder all the burden?
Instead, lead by example:
Be the first in and last out as often as you can
Pitch in at every level to show that we’re all in this together
Lay down consistent rules, and create meaningful consequences for those who break them
Love What You Do
Clients and even your own team members will help generate a positive office culture when you can demonstrate that you really love what you do. The above-mentioned car dealership staff were rather cold and indifferent, and I got the impression that they didn’t want to be there, and that they definitely didn’t want me to be there, either.
Love what you do, and show your passion for your work. Read articles, books, magazines and other materials about your industry, share insights on social media, and encourage everyone to talk, breathe and live your chosen field. This positive energy is like a fuel that will drive you, your team, and your business forward.
Take Control and Lead
Finally, remember that you’re a leader within your business, and a positive company culture will only come about when you can step up and take charge. A great office culture won’t just happen because you want it to. It requires concrete steps to be taken, but contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t require you to abandon your real self or completely overturn what you have right now.
Put great customer service at the heart of everything you do, and encourage positivity in your team at all times. When you do, you’ll start to see the seeds of that culture sprout into something bigger and more awesome.
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